[10/13/09 - 08:24 AM]Mystery, Betrayal and Terrifying Secrets Are Unleashed When Ion Television's Durham County Launches Its Second Season in January 2010The series "returns to the bleak and disturbing landscape of an alienated suburbia with a new star villain - Michelle Forbes."

[via press release from ION Media Networks]

Mystery, Betrayal and Terrifying Secrets Are Unleashed When ION Television's Durham County Launches Its Second Season in January 2010

"True Blood" and "In Treatment" Actress Michelle Forbes Joins Durham County Cast for Season Two

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The lesson that "love hurts" is well learned by the characters who inhabit the eerie suburb of Durham County when the original scripted primetime series launches its second season on ION Television in January, 2010. The series, which debuted this fall, returns to the bleak and disturbing landscape of an alienated suburbia with a new star villain � Michelle Forbes, known for her intense portrayals on the hit HBO series "True Blood" and "In Treatment" this year.

Produced by Muse Entertainment and Back Alley Films, Durham County unfolds season two in the aftermath of the devastating impact of serial killer Ray Prager (Romano Orzari) on the lives of its characters, anchored by Homicide Detective Mike Sweeney (Hugh Dillon, CBS' "Flashpoint"), his now estranged wife Audrey (H�l�ne Joy) and their traumatized teenage daughter Sadie (Laurence Leboeuf). While the true villain of the first season turned out to be Sweeney's former high school classmate and new neighbor, the evil threat in the second season comes from a woman who develops a close bond with Mike, the brilliant, but deeply troubled forensic psychiatrist Pen Verrity (Michelle Forbes). Rejected by her husband and grieving for a daughter we can't be certain she didn't kill, she sets her sights on having Mike Sweeney � at any cost.

"Durham County has more than fulfilled our expectations for our first original series in its successful debut this fall, particularly with our key 25�54 demographic," said Leslie Chesloff, Executive Vice President, Programming, ION Media Networks. "In season two, our protagonist is trying to keep his broken family together in the aftermath of a serial killer, while he is lured into an incredibly dangerous place by a seductive woman. Viewers will be on their seats wondering what Pen will do next, who she might target and whether Mike will realize the terrible threat she poses before it's too late."

"We are thrilled at the way audiences have embraced this series and are excited that ION Television is bringing this award-winning show back for another electrifying season in January," said Michael Prupas, President of Muse Entertainment and executive producer of Durham County.

Co-creator and Executive Producer Janis Lundman of Back Alley Films adds, "We think viewers will be intrigued by the new female villain, Michelle Forbes, who they will recognize from her portrayal of an equally menacing character on �True Blood.' In addition, they will be drawn into our hero's struggle to heal his broken family and deal with the separation from his wife while he becomes increasingly drawn to this damaged woman."

"This season we explore what happens to people after their lives have been affected by a serial killer and the darkest side of their psyches are exposed, which also shows them the way to true compassion," said Co-creator and Executive Producer/Director Adrienne Mitchell. "Season two also shifts more focus to the complex characters of the Sweeney's daughter Sadie, played poignantly by Laurence LeBoeuf, and the neighbor's abandoned son, Ray Jr., portrayed by the talented Greyston Holt," she adds.

Durham County is written by Laurie Finstad-Knizhnik ("Bliss") and helmed by directors Adrienne Mitchell, Alain DesRochers (Nitro) and Rachel Talalay (Terminal City). Michael Prupas ("Human Trafficking") of Muse Entertainment and Janis Lundman and Adrienne Mitchell ("Bliss") of Back Alley Films serve as executive producers. The series has received 13 Gemini Award nominations, including five wins: Best Actor for Justin Louis, Best Actress for H�l�ne Joy, Best Direction for Holly Dale, Best Writing for Laurie Finstad Knizhnik and Best Sound. In addition, the show was nominated for four Director's Guild of Canada Awards, winning two and taking home the CFTPA's Indie Award for "Best Dramatic Series."

The program was also recognized with nominations from the Writer's Guild of Canada and ACTRA Montreal. In a deal signed last January with ITV Global Entertainment, ION Television acquired the exclusive U.S. rights to the critically acclaimed and award-winning original TV series, Durham County. In addition, the network secured all U.S. television, digital media rights, internet streaming and video-on-demand rights for the program.

About ION Television

ION Television (www.iontelevision.com) is a general entertainment network which reaches over 96 million U.S. television households via its nationwide broadcast television, cable and satellite distribution systems. Launched in 2006, ION Television features popular TV series and movies from the award-winning libraries of RHI Entertainment, CBS Television, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures Television, Twentieth Television and Warner Bros. Parent company, ION Media Networks, Inc., owns and operates the nation's largest broadcast television station group. Using its digital multicasting capability, ION Media Networks has launched the digital TV brands qubo, a channel for children focusing on literacy and values, and ION Life, a channel dedicated to active living and personal growth. It also has launched Open Mobile Ventures Corporation (OMVION), a business unit focused on the research and development of portable, mobile and out-of-home transmission technology using over-the-air digital television spectrum. For more information, visit www.ionmedia.com.

About Muse Entertainment Enterprises

Muse Entertainment Enterprises, headed by President & CEO Michael Prupas, is a major Canadian independent film and television producer and the country's leading service producer for international studios and networks. Muse Entertainment is known for bringing well-crafted, high-quality, award-winning productions with strong international appeal to big and small screens. Since 1998, Muse has produced, co-produced or provided production services on 150 TV movies and mini-series, television series and feature films. Muse's head office is located in Montreal. Muse has four production operations in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Los Angeles.

About Back Alley Film Productions Ltd.

Back Alley Film Productions Ltd. has been producing entertaining and cutting edge film and television in Canada for over 15 years. Founded by Janis Lundman and Adrienne Mitchell, the company is synonymous with high-quality, innovative auteur-driven productions that aim to entertain both domestic and international audiences. With their strong backgrounds in producing (Lundman/Mitchell) and directing (Mitchell) the two partners have produced and co-created award winning and critically acclaimed series for networks in both Canada and the U.S. and their work has been distributed internationally with great success world-wide. Back Alley Films offices are located in Toronto and Montreal.

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